If you are one of the roughly 10 million U.S. adults with ADHD, it can be a constant challenge to stay focused and on task. You might easily lose track of conversations or forget what you were working on. Or fail to pay attention to important details and make mistakes. But this isn’t an oversight on your part. An inability to focus is a prominent symptom of ADHD. Here are some strategies to help you maintain your attention and focus.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is not just a problem in children; the symptoms can manifest at any age. If you were diagnosed with childhood ADHD, chances are, you’ve carried at least some of the symptoms into adulthood. But even if you were never diagnosed with ADHD as a child, that doesn’t mean you can’t be affected by it as an adult. You can learn to spot potential symptoms of adult ADHD and determine if you should talk to a healthcare professional about a possible diagnosis.
Impulsive behavior can be a symptom of ADHD, and that includes impulse buying. This problem can be especially acute during the holidays when there are so many more temptations beckoning from stores and online shopping venues. If you have ADHD, there are a number of things you can do to help curb your impulse buying.
The holidays should be a time to celebrate with friends and family, but all too often they can be a time of stress and unhappiness. For those with ADHD, the holidays can be both stimulating and overwhelming. There is shopping to do, parties and events to attend, and cards to write. Taking time to solve your holiday planning problems before they crop up will help you (and your loved ones) enjoy the season and start the new year energized, refreshed, and happy.
As researchers discover more about ADHD, we are beginning to see that the disorder presents differently in boys and girls, and later, in adult men and women. Understanding these gender differences could help the medical community make earlier diagnoses of ADHD for girls and perhaps help forestall issues related to untreated ADHD later in life.
There has been plenty written about the “disorder” aspects of ADHD – problems with attention, focus, impulsivity and executive function skills in general. But research studies seem to confirm that there is another side to the condition. It can bring with it, under the right circumstances, an ability to perform at extraordinary levels.
When you have adult ADHD, staying organized can be a continuing struggle. Despite your best efforts, yet you never seem to get any more organized. There are piles of papers and clutter all around. You still lose your keys on a regular basis and spend time every day looking for your cell phone. Here are some strategies that can help you keep the clutter at bay.
More adults in their 40s, 50s and 60s are being diagnosed with ADHD. They have experienced the symptoms of ADHD for years without understanding the cause. The understanding that comes from such a diagnosis can have positive, life changing effects. However, getting an ADHD diagnosis as an adult can be difficult because the normal aging process mimics some of the symptoms of the condition.
The divorce rate is nearly twice as high for people with ADHD, (which affects roughly 4 percent of adults), as it is for other couples. The symptoms of the ADHD partner can result in misunderstandings that, left unresolved, can lead to trouble in a marriage. There are some basic strategies you can take to strengthen your relationship when ADHD is making it difficult.
Much of what we hear about ADHD and ADD has to do with its negative impacts – the affected individual’s difficulty focusing, paying attention, or controlling impulses. However, being diagnosed with ADHD does not have to be bad news. Each symptom has both a negative and a positive aspect. Identifying and using these “mirror traits” can help you reach your full potential.
